Readers of the Word

The Word of God makes a pathway within us. We listen to it with our ears, and it passes to our hearts; it does not remain in our ears; it must go to the heart. And from the heart, it passes to the hands, to good deeds. This is the path which the Word of God follows: from our ears to our heart and hands. Let us learn these things. 
Pope Francis—January 31, 201
Are You Being Called to Serve?
              "When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to His people, and Christ, present in His word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy." (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], no. 29)
 
What does it mean to serve as lector?
              Ministers of the Word are referred to as ‘proclaimers’ to emphasize that there is more to the ministry than simply reading the scriptures aloud to the liturgical congregation. We know that God’s word is special, so we want to share our skills that this ministry requires.
              When parishioners answer the call to be a Minister of the Word, they enter a deeper relationship with the Word of God.  They take upon themselves the duty and privilege of bringing the printed word to life – making it flesh, so to speak.  The ministry as a lector (or proclaimer), gives voice to God’s healing and strengthening word as it goes forth irrevocably to the ends of the earth, achieving the purpose for which God sent it.
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The purpose of this ministry: 
The Lector proclaims the readings for the congregation assembled. The Lector may also read the Prayers of the Faithful if a deacon is not present.

Contact information for the Readers of the Word Coordinators
Dates for meetings will be posted online and announced during Mass throughout the year.
Requirements
  • -The lector should be a parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
  • -The Lector must be a baptized/confirmed Catholic, fully initiated into the Catholic Church, with a desire to assist at Holy Mass.

​The duties for this position: 
  • -Read the first reading from the Old Testament.
  • -Possibly proclaim the Psalm (if it is not sung).
  • -Read the second reading from the New Testament of the Bible.
  • -Read the Prayer of the Faithful (if a deacon is not present).
 
The skills, abilities, and gifts desired to serve in this position:
      -The Lector must practice the readings during the week.
  • -The Lector must read reverently.  The Lord is present at Mass in many ways; one of the ways is in the proclamation of the Sacred Scripture during the readings by the Lector.
  • -The Lector must be articulate and pronounce all the words of the Scripture reading(s) properly.
  • -The Lector should strive to be reverent in their movements and in the reading of Holy Scripture.
  • -The Lector must dress appropriately for serving at Mass (no shorts, revealing outfits, or t-shirts).
  • -The Lector should arrive early for Mass so that they may check the reading in the Lectionary and read over it before the Mass begins.
Lectors Resources

The following websites may help lectors prepare for the readings.
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  • The US Bishops' web site (http://usccb.org) and click the date in the calendar on the right to get Sunday's readings. (Remember, Saturday night readers use Sunday, unless otherwise informed.)

  • Lector's Notes page (http://www.lectorprep.org/) for background on Scripture and liturgy

  • The Center for Liturgy - Saint Louis University (http://liturgy.slu.edu/) provides in-depth background on Scripture and liturgy.

  • The workbook, Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers and Proclaimers of the Word, is also an excellent tool to use when preparing to read.  This workbook is available at the parish store.
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A website with audio pronunciation of biblical names: “Net Ministries” -- http://netministries.org/resources/resource-pronunciation-guide